We’ve packed this edition with tips on keeping your garden green, and a massive list of events from Berthoud to the state line to keep you busy. World Cup Final watch parties included. Grab a coffee, and let’s dig in!

– Megan

I stepped into the garden this morning, coffee in hand, and was met by a familiar, grumpy-looking face staring back from the mulch. It was a Woodhouse’s Toad (Anaxyrus woodhousii), looking like a very stoic resident of the yard.

These are the unsung heroes of the Northern Colorado backyard. They have a permanent grumpy-old-man expression thanks to the prominent ridges on their heads, but don’t let their lazy-looking appearance fool you — they are voracious eaters. While they are primarily nocturnal, you’ll occasionally see them during the day, especially if the humidity is high. If you do, consider yourself lucky.

Biologically, these toads are fascinating survivalists. Unlike many amphibians that need consistent immersion in water, Woodhouse’s toads are incredibly well-adapted to our semi-arid climate. They possess a specialized, porous skin that allows them to absorb moisture directly from damp soil, and they are masters of "estivation” — a state of dormancy similar to hibernation, where they bury themselves deep underground to escape the intense heat of the high-desert summer.

They are absolute machines at controlling pest populations, including that other, less-welcome guest currently taking a bite out of our landscapes (see NOCO Grows below to find out more about these critters).

Treat these toads well, and you’ve got the best organic security system in the county. They are territorial, so if you create a habitat they like, they’ll stick around for years. An overturned pot or a loose stack of sticks and leaves in a shady corner provides the daytime protection they need from heat and predators. In exchange, a single adult toad can consume thousands of insects over a season, effectively patrolling your garden beds for grasshoppers, beetles, slugs, and cutworms without you ever having to reach for a chemical spray.

If you’ve walked through your garden lately and felt a flash of frustration, you aren't alone. I walked into mine this week to find one of my collards looking less like a leafy green and more like intricate lace — a clear sign that grasshopper season is in full swing.

Every gardener in Northern Colorado pays this Garden Tax eventually, because the reality is that our dry heat creates the perfect environment for them to thrive. While this year has not been as bad as the last two (at least for us) it still feels personal when they chew through a month of hard work; but, it helps to know we’re all in this together!

The population density is actually triggered by last fall’s soil conditions. Grasshopper eggs are laid in the soil, and they require a specific window of warmth and dryness to successfully hatch. Our recent weather patterns have been perfect to ensure a high survival rate for the nymphs. Once they hatch, these insects undergo a process called hemimetabolous metamorphosis — meaning they don't have a pupal stage; they simply grow larger with each molt, becoming exponentially more ravenous as they reach adulthood.

So, what can you actually do?

Cover Up: Physical barriers like lightweight garden netting are the only way to keep the pressure off.

The Morning Patrol: Grasshoppers are cold-blooded (ectothermic) and sluggish in the early morning. Walk through the garden with a bucket of soapy water, and knock the sleepy critters into their watery grave. We love all living things; but, pests are pests, and there’s no way to re-home grasshoppers.

Biological Back-Up: Nature already has a grasshopper management team on staff. And this ties right back to our Wild Things friend — toads, birds, and spiders love grasshoppers. If you make your garden a hospitable place for these predators, they’ll handle a surprising amount of the cleanup for you.

Long-Term Prevention: The best time to fight grasshoppers is actually late autumn. Tilling your garden soil in the fall disrupts the egg pods before they have a chance to overwinter and survive until next spring.

Need Local Help?
If you aren't sure what you’re dealing with, or want a professional eye on your garden, reach out to the Larimer County Master Gardeners. They run excellent plant diagnostic clinics and can offer specific, regional pest management advice for your unique yard.

Every contribution keeps us out in the field, digging into local history, and showing up for the towns we cover. We're grateful for every bit of support. Thanks for being part of this.

— Megan & David

👉 MAKE A CONTRIBUTION

From Berthoud to the Wyoming state line, Fort Morgan to Estes, each week we pull together a list of the top events happening all over Northern Colorado.

Film: Napoleon Dynamite @ The Rialto Theater (Loveland) — 7pm — A cult classic on the big screen. 👉 Vote for Pedro

FRIDAY LIVE MUSIC: Jason Lenz @ Snowy Peaks Winery, Back Patio (Estes Park) — 5–7pm 👉 Sip and listen

Opening Reception: "A Jeweler, A Painter, and a Sculptor all Walk into a Gallery" @ Art Center of Estes Park (Estes Park) — 5–7pm — Exhibition runs Jul 17–Aug 26. 👉 Meet the makers

Chase Marler + Bryan Dubrow (Live Music) @ City Star Brewing (Berthoud) — 6–8:30pm 👉 Hear them play

Beer Release: Easy Peasy Lemon Shandy @ City Star Brewing (Berthoud) — 3–10pm — A new summer shandy, on tap for the day. 👉 Be first to try it

Art LIVE! @ Historic Halfway Homestead (Windsor) — 5–7pm 👉 Watch art happen

Downtown Greeley Friday Fest @ Downtown Greeley (Greeley) — 👉 Head downtown for it

Fort Collins Foodie Walk @ Multiple Downtown Fort Collins shops — 5–8pm — A self-guided crawl through downtown eats. 👉 Walk and eat your way through

Mountain Duo Live @ Mighty River Brewing (Windsor) — 6–8pm 👉 Catch the duo

STRANGE BREW (Live Music) @ The Sand Bar at Pelican Lakes (Windsor) — 6-9pm 👉 Catch the set

Just Jazz Quintet @ Avogadro's Number (Fort Collins) — 4:30–7pm 👉 Ease into the weekend

Boogie Down Broadway @ Aggie Theatre (Fort Collins) — 7pm 👉 Get down

AQUI Market @ Wolverine Farm Publick House (Fort Collins) — 5–9pm — A local vendor market. 👉 Shop local

Author Spotlight with Lauren Lipp & V.L. Andromeda @ Cherry on Top Bookshop (Fort Collins) — 5pm 👉 Meet the authors

Music at the Mothership: 2MX2 @ New Belgium Brewing (Fort Collins) — 5–7pm 👉 Head to the Mothership

Pooches in the Park: Dog Days of Summer @ Historic Halfway Homestead (Windsor) — 5–7pm — A dog-friendly evening in the park. 👉 Bring the pup

Cold Chocolate Live @ The Elizabeth Hotel (Fort Collins) — 8pm–12am — Genre-bending Americana, straight from a touring act. 👉 Stay out late

Fort Collins Foxes vs. Gameday Angels @ City Park Field (Fort Collins) — 6:05pm 👉 Catch the game

Crab Boil, day 2 @ Desk Chair Workspace, Downtown Loveland — until 9pm — Second day of the rooftop crab boil. 👉 Get in before it's gone

Tipsy Terrariums (Class) @ High Hops Brewery / The Heart Distillery (Windsor) — 10:30am — Build a terrarium, drink included. 👉 Get a little tipsy, a little green

Farmers Market @ Boardwalk Community Park (Windsor) — 8am–12:30pm 👉 Stock up local

Treasure Island Demonstration Garden: Sunken Garden Renovation Project @ Treasure Island Demonstration Garden (Windsor) — 9am–12pm — A hands-on volunteer morning restoring a public garden. 👉 Get your hands dirty

Great Chimney Cook Out @ Chimney Park Pool (Windsor) — 12–5pm 👉 Poolside and grilling

WonderCrawl 2.0 @ Wolverine Farm / River District (Fort Collins) — 3–9pm — A roaming, multi-stop crawl through the River District. 👉 Wander the crawl

LIVE MUSIC: Luke Hahn-Zollo & Friends Duo @ Mash Lab Brewing (Windsor) — 4–7pm 👉 Catch the duo

Poudre Valley Playboys (Live Music) @ Mighty River Brewing (Windsor) — 6–9pm 👉 Catch the Playboys

Stout Branch Bluegrass (Live Music) @ City Star Brewing (Berthoud) — 6–8:30pm 👉 Bring your boots

Rumours: Fleetwood Mac Tribute with The Doors Jam @ Aggie Theatre (Fort Collins) — 8pm 👉 Go your own way

E/MERSION 360: Jasara + CD Davis @ Otterbox Digital Dome Theater, Fort Collins Museum of Discovery (Fort Collins) — 8pm — An immersive dome show pairing visuals and live music. 👉 Get surrounded by it

Fort Collins Foxes vs. Denver Generals @ City Park Field (Fort Collins) — 6:05pm 👉 Catch the game

The Okee Dokee Brothers @ The Lincoln Center (Fort Collins) — 6pm — A well-known family folk act. 👉 Bring the whole family

Gold Rush in Leadville (Dunning Gallery Exhibit) @ Downtown Loveland gallery — 5-8pm — An ongoing exhibit, not a single-day event. 👉 See what's on the walls

Windsor World Cup Finals Watch Party @ Farmers Market Pavilion, Boardwalk Park (Windsor) — 12pm — The Final, watched Windsor-style. 👉 Watch it in Windsor

World Cup Final Watch Party @ Aggie Theatre (Fort Collins) — 1pm 👉 Watch the Final

World Cup Finals: Final Watch Party @ The Lyric (Fort Collins) — 1pm 👉 Watch it downtown

Harmony Hotshots: Third Sunday at Three @ Avogadro's Number (Fort Collins) — 3–5:30pm 👉 Catch the Sunday set

Jack Yoder (Live Music) @ City Star Brewing (Berthoud) — 5–7:30pm 👉 Wind down the weekend

New Wave Sensation @ Avogadro's Number (Fort Collins) — 7–9pm 👉 Relive the new wave

Fort Collins Foxes vs. Slammers North @ City Park Field (Fort Collins) — 4:05pm 👉 Catch the game

Love Shack Lines: Poetry Open Mic Night @ The Love Shack - Craft Mocktails (Loveland) — 6:30–7:30pm 👉 Share a verse

Storytime @ Cherry on Top Bookshop (Fort Collins) — 10am — A weekly kids' storytime, family-relevant. 👉 Bring the little ones

Off the Hook Arts: A Journey Through Strings and Stories with Hiroya Tsukamoto @ Stodgy Brewing Company (Fort Collins) — 6–8pm — A touring fingerstyle guitarist blending music and storytelling. 👉 Follow the strings